The Other Digital Transition

Most of the news coverage regarding the "digital transition" has been about television, which is switching to all-digital broadcasts on February 17, 2009. But some cell-phone users and other wireless subscribers face another type of digital transition—and in just a few days. On February 18, an FCC law requiring cellular carriers to provide analog service to subscribers and roamers expires. That means some older analog phones, alarm systems, and OnStar emergency services will no longer work.

Unlike TV broadcasters, cellular carriers aren't being forced to drop analog service. Rather, they're now allowed to discontinue analog service if they already blanket their cellular geographic service areas (CGSAs) with digital coverage. You won't be blindsided by the change. Carriers have to give their analog customers adequate warning. Here's the 411 on who's affected, and what they can do about it:

Cell-phone users. The expired law primarily affects some analog customers of Verizon, Alltel, AT&T, US Cellular, and Dobson (and other companies that market their services as "Cellular One"). Fortunately, it's only customers who have older, analog-only phones—not the newer digital phones with analog backup. You can tell your phone is analog if it's more than 5 years old, or if it doesn't have the ability to access the Web or handle text messages. Customers of SprintNextel and T-Mobile, whose networks are already entirely digital, should not be affected by the change. Rural subscribers to regional analog carriers shouldn't be inconvenienced either, though their phones may no longer be able to roam in areas serviced by digital-network carriers.

Carrier representatives told us they've been offering their analog customers free digital-phone upgrades. For some customers who live in the fringe areas of digital networks, both Verizon and AT&T told us they'll be providing special "bag phones" with more powerful radios for better reception.

Despite any unease users may have about parting with their old phones, the migration to digital should be viewed as a plus for consumers. First, digital phones have GPS technology that allows emergency responders to zero in on a user's location in an emergency. Second, the phone's text-messaging abilities give you another communication option when cellular networks are down or overloaded, as was the case during Hurricane Katrina.

Home alarm services. Some alarm systems installed in the 1980s and early '90s have wireless transmitters based on analog phone cellular standards. These connections serve mostly as backup in case the landline is cut or otherwise disabled. If you have such a system, you'll need to upgrade to digital. Upgrade costs range from free to several hundred dollars, depending on your contract.

In-car telematics services. These popular in-vehicle emergency and navigation services, which go by such names as GM OnStar, Lexus Link, and Mercedes-Benz Tele Aid, work via wireless-carrier networks. But many of these services installed in vehicles made before 2004 use analog technology that is no longer supported, or soon won’t be. The upgrade to digital can cost as much as $1,500—if they can be upgraded at all. (ConsumerReports.org's Cars Blog should have more information about this soon.)

IF YOU RUN INTO PROBLEMS

More information on the analog cell-phone cutoff is available on the FCC's Web site, http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/analogcellphone.html. If you have any questions or complaints about your wireless phone plan, your provider's service, or the fees it charges, you can file a complaint with the FCC in several ways:

• Internet: You can file your complaint electronically using the FCC Form 475 at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html


• E-mail: fccinfo@fcc.gov


• Mail:
  Federal Communications Commission
  Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
  445 12th Street, SW
  Washington, D.C. 20554


• Phone: Call toll free
  1-888-225-5322 (voice)
  1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
  Consumer advocacy and mediation specialists are available Monday through Friday, 8 AM through 5:30 PM Eastern

—Mike Gikas

Comments

[Michael Gikas]

Yes John, CR recommends tri-mode phones for rural areas, and we still have such phones in our Ratings—though they're getting harder to find in stores.

Regarding J Bryan's conspiracy theory, I don't think the larger carriers are backing off analog just to clobber rural competition. After all, it's not in their interests to degrade quality of service for ANY of their customers. Rather, the bigger picture is that the entire cell-phone industry—including rural carriers—is moving toward digital because it's way more efficient and it provides additional profit streams from text messaging, music downloads, GPS navigation, and other digital services.

Allowing the analog law to expire is the FCC's way of nudging things along. Indeed, many of the rural carriers we spoke with plan to convert to digital within the next 1 to 3 years.

—Mike Gikas

[John]

Since 'analog-only' service areas continue to exist in rural areas of this country, then doesn't Tri-Mode(digital & analog) phones cover a broader overall area than 'digital only' phones?

If so, should't those customers that want the greatest coverage area be purchasing Tri-Mode phones?

[J Bryan]

Regarding: Today's News (2/16/08) "Is Your Cell Phone Affected by the Analog Service Cutoff?"

I understand that some phone carriers have all digital networks, and I also understand that on Feb. 18 of this year digital carriers will no longer be required to provide any analog services if _their_ service area is completely covered by digital. But please explain to me, and other CR readers, why have carriers, such as Verizon, long been phasing out and now completely discontinued selling in their stores all Tri-Mode phones, and only sell all digital phones?

I would think that a Tri-Mode phone (which receives both digital and analog service) provides an overall broader area of service for the customer and therefore would be preferred by customers. It not only is useful on the digital network but it can also be used whenever traveling through many rural "analog only" areas that continue to operate.

Even though the above practice may be detrimental to the customer's overall access to service, could it be that the underlying reason that carriers have long been marketing digital without any analog backup is to expedite the elimination of all analog carriers?